Carolina Mercy (A Southern Breeze Series Book 2)

by Regina Rudd Merrick

  The waiting room was quiet. Only one other family had set up camp there. They nodded as they entered.

  “We took Mary Ann and Charly home before we came here. I think Mary Ann was glad to think of sleeping in her own bed tonight.”

  “I’ll bet. Had most of the people at the shelter gone home?”

  “Most. There will be a few back to spend the night. Not all the roads are cleared for people to go home. Pastor’s wife said she could take care of any kids that came back.

  Sarah nodded. “Several of the people there were the folks in the immediate area. Except for power outages and buckets of rain, most of them will head home and stay.”

  Lucy took a deep breath. “They’re predicting more rain. Tom said they were worried about flooding at this point.” She stopped when Sarah closed her eyes in frustration. “Enough of that. Have you talked to your mom?”

  “They’re on their way. Jared’s parents should be here in about an hour, and mine by tomorrow. I guess they can all stay at Pilot Oaks since Jared’s house is damaged.” She stopped and let a tear fall. “I can’t believe we’ve lost his beach house. I need to get over there and salvage what I can.”

  “There will be time for that. You stay here and stay strong for Jared.” A loud beep from the ICU cubicle got their attention, and Sarah rushed into the room with the nurse, Lucy close behind, trying to stay out of the way.

  “Nothing to worry about, sweetie. Just one of the IV bags getting low. Better get used to it, because our nurses are stretched pretty thin about now.” The nurse gave them a tired smile as she changed the bag and checked all the other monitors attached to him.

  Lucy had a sudden rush of sympathy for the young woman. “What’s your name?”

  “It’s Jackie, ma’am.”

  “How long have you been on duty?”

  “Luce, Jackie has been here since I got here. You’ve been here since yesterday, haven’t you?”

  “Yes ma’am, I have. It’s not unusual, though. When we have an emergency, the doctors and nurses on duty expect to stay. The next shift can’t always get here, so we try to nap in shifts when we can.” Jackie gave them a warm smile. “We’re glad we only have these two in ICU. It makes it easier to fill in for the ER nurses so they can rest from time to time.”

  Sarah hugged her. “You have no idea how much I appreciate it.”

  Lucy nodded. “What about your family? Do you have children?”

  Jackie chuckled. “I do. I talked to them a few minutes ago. They said they had a ball at Calvary Church and didn’t even notice the storm. My husband was on duty with the fire department, and my mother-in-law was with them at the shelter.”

  “Jolea and Tucker?” Lucy brightened right up. They were among her charges last night and were game for any lame activity she could come up with, and for that, she was grateful.

  “Those are my rug rats.” The young woman’s broad smile showed pride in her offspring.

  Lucy reached out and hugged Jackie. “They’re great. And very helpful too. They took right up with us, and joined in every game and activity we did. Do y’all have a church home?”

  “Lucy, you’re not even a member of Calvary.” Sarah laughed.

  “Well, I feel like I am. And at this point, it’s my closest ‘home church’ since you’re in it.”

  “We’ve visited Calvary a few times. After this, I think we’ll visit again.”

  “Oh, I hope you do. It’s been great for Sarah, being new in the area, and I know I’ve always felt right at home there.”

  A beep sounded from Jackie’s pager. “Gotta go. Lisa will be at the desk if you need her, and I’ll check back when I can.”

  “Get some rest, Jackie. We’re praying for you.” Lucy smiled. She had made a new friend today.

  “Don’t worry. And thank you for taking care of my babies during the storm. It was good to know they were with people who loved them and were watching out for them.” She looked down at her pager again. “Check with you later.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Tom was back at his desk for the first time since yesterday. All communication had been via radio and cell phone. He was tired, he was irritated, and he was ready for a nap. That wasn’t going to happen. Not for a while, anyway. When his mother mentioned sleeping in her own bed, he remembered he hadn’t checked on his own house. That would have to wait. He knew it wasn’t in the line of the surge, so he wasn’t unduly worried. Now he was hearing rumblings about recovery efforts and collections starting already.

  It was too soon. He knew, from past experience, that many people used the excuse of “collecting supplies for the needy” to clean out cabinets of old foodstuffs, clothing, and bedding that many times ended up in a storage unit and never distributed because it came before the definite needs were posted.

  Disaster Relief coordinated with his office and Sam Watson with the state police. He needed to make sure Sam knew the policies and procedures. He was new, after all, even if he had some training. This was the real deal.

  Sam seemed like a nice enough guy. He tried to refrain from judgment until he had reason to doubt a person, but he wasn’t sure this time. Maybe it was the fatigue setting in. Maybe if he leaned his head on his desk for ten minutes . . .

  “There you are, Tom. I was hoping you would get in before I left for the day.” Sam was walking toward him, clearing all thoughts of rest.

  Before he left for the day? He hadn’t even begun to think of leaving for the day or for the week. As long as his people were safe and being cared for, he would work for the other fine folks of his county.

  “Sam. What’s up?” Tom took a deep breath and tried to erase the irritation from his face.

  “I’ve got county Emergency Management on the phone. They want emergency feeding trailers on the ground by breakfast tomorrow. Where do we want them?”

  “Good question. Have you, or they, talked to the FEMA folks? They’re the ones to make that call, not us.”

  “Oh. Well, I thought it would be up to the locals.”

  “Not entirely. We call FEMA, they call disaster relief agencies and put them on standby, then all the coordination is done through FEMA and the county emergency services task force.”

  “Got it. I’ll get on that.” He walked away and turned at the door. “Thanks for introducing me to Lucy. She seems nice.”

  Tom twisted his mouth in a grimace where Sam couldn’t see him. When he turned, he had his nonchalant mask back on. “She is nice.”

  “She dating anyone? Just curious.” Sam smiled and quirked an eyebrow in question.

  Tom coughed. Man, was this hard. It was one thing to think about Lucy dating someone back in Kentucky, but a guy he had to work with every day?

  “She’s here on a visit, helping Sarah with the wedding.”

  “Ah. Well, if I see her again, I might ask her. Never hurts to ask.” He left the room to take a phone call without waiting for an answer.

  “Never hurts.” Tom mumbled the words as he looked, unseeing, at the papers and notes on his desk.

  Lucy smiled as Sarah was caught in a huge bear hug by her future-father-in-law. Liz went straight to her son’s bedside, tears falling as she smoothed back the hair that remained on one side of his head. “My baby boy.”

  Conrad joined her at Jared’s side, keeping Sarah close by him. “Any improvement?”

  “Some. He fluttered his eyelashes and squeezed my hand earlier.” Her radiant smile said it all.

  Lucy filled them in. “Not long after I had arrived at the hospital, we were sitting in the room, talking, when Sarah reached over to hold Jared’s hand. When he squeezed her hand, she jumped up and looked at his face to see his lashes fluttering.”

  It wasn’t much, but it was good to see Sarah lifted out of the mire of fear and doubt she had been in.

  “Oh my goodness. Well, that’s a good sign, isn’t it? I mean, they said the sooner he wakes up, the better the prognosis, didn’t they? Oh, and how is that sweet Mary Ann? I hate she’s
going through her vision problems. And Charlotte. Such a pretty girl. Is she still planning to go into broadcasting?”

  The interchange between Sarah and Liz Benton was hilarious. Sarah went from radiant happiness to information overload, blinking her eyes in surprise as the topics changed with the wind.

  “Lizzie, slow down. We’ve got plenty of time to talk about all those things. Right now I want to concentrate on our son.” Conrad wasn’t exactly using his military commander voice, but the authority in his tone seemed to calm his wife.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so used to not having much time to talk, and I want to know everything.” Liz hugged Sarah tightly. “I’m worried about Jared, excited about the wedding, and wondering about my dear friends. What a conundrum for this hurricane to come at this time.”

  Lucy intervened. “I think the doctor is supposed to come around 5:00 to check on him. Would it be okay if I swept Sarah off for lunch while you’re here to watch over Jared?”

  Sarah’s look spoke volumes to Lucy.

  “I think that’s a grand idea. Conrad, go get me a cup of coffee, and I’m not moving from this spot until he wakes up.” Liz sat next to her boy with determination.

  “Yes, sweetheart.” He turned to the girls. “You two go ahead, and we’ll be here for the duration.” He winked at Sarah and turned them toward the door as he followed to fetch the coffee. “Don’t worry. At bedtime, we’ll find a place to stay.”

  “Tom said Pilot Oaks is in good shape. Unfortunately, Jared’s house sounds like a total loss.” Sarah dipped her head.

  “Well, I guess we could ‘rough it’ at Pilot Oaks.” He chuckled and then waved them away. “Go. Eat. Rest.”

  Sarah smiled at him. “Thank you. I was glad when Lucy came, so I didn’t have to be alone. Now I have family here. It helps tremendously.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  A week after the storm, Tom stood in the back yard of his mother’s home, mentally calculating shingles, decking, and drywall. He’d taken pictures of the damage, inside and out. Neighbors had secured a tarp over the area of the affected roof, knowing Tom was tied up. Now to file the insurance claim and wait. They were the fortunate ones. One area was affected, the roof over the kitchen ell. No carpet, just soggy rugs and lost food from the rain and power outage. That meant the house was livable, and after getting the mess cleaned up, life could get back to normal.

  He turned to see a car drive up. He grinned when Lucy got out of Sarah’s car and walked toward him. “Hey, stranger.”

  “Hey, yourself. I didn’t know the county let you off the leash long enough to come home.” She grinned back at him, causing a flush to rise from his neck to his face. He’d missed her.

  “Finally. Things are getting back to normal. I thought I’d better start thinking about fixing the roof. Well, as soon as we get the go-ahead from the insurance company. I could have it done in a few days if I didn’t have to wait on them.”

  This was awkward. If they were supposed to be together, would he feel awkward around her? A voice, deep inside of him, reminded him he hadn’t made any move in her direction after the shower and his revelation of what he considered his “best kiss.” Now wasn’t the time.

  Lucy had changed the subject while his mind wandered. “– so I’ll be helping Sam––”

  “Wait. What? Helping Sam?”

  “I said, I’ve been asked to help with the state/county police department relief effort. Sam is in charge, and he asked me to help since Sarah’s tied up with Jared. I guess I seemed to be at loose ends.” She shrugged and looked down at her toes.

  Loose ends. Great. He’d rather her spare time be spent with him instead of Sam Watson. He didn’t want to sound like a jealous boyfriend, because he wasn’t. A boyfriend, anyway. Jealous, yes. Boyfriend? He wished. And yet, it sounded juvenile.

  He brightened a bit. “I guess you’ll have to come by the station a lot.”

  She grinned and cut her eyes up at him. “I suppose I will.”

  Lucy stood beside him, both of them contemplating the house with hands in pockets. “How long would it take you with a little help?” She pulled her right hand out of her pocket and up to shade her eyes as she looked up at him, squinting.

  “For what?” Another change in topic. She reminded him of Jared’s mother in some ways.

  “The roof, silly.”

  “Depends on the help.” He chuckled. “You offering?”

  “I’ll have you know, Mr. Macho Man, that I have served on construction teams on mission trips and with Habitat for Humanity, and I happen to have no fear of heights. So there.”

  A laugh burst from him. It felt good, if a little unfamiliar these days. The sight of her petite form, hands on hips, putting him in his place, was exactly what he needed. He held up his hands in surrender. “Forgive me for doubting you.” He squinted back at her. “Can you provide references?”

  “Very funny. What about Charly?”

  “No heights for her. She turns into a puddle when she gets close to the edge of a balcony.” He shook his head in disgust. “I’d rather not scrape her off the ground when she falls off the ladder.”

  Lucy’s giggle tinkled through the air. “I understand. You’ve got my number, right? Let me know when you want to work on it, and I’ll be here with my pink tool belt on.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Maybe I am, and maybe I’m not. You’ll have to wait and see.”

  He wanted to reach out and hug her, but he didn’t dare. He looked at her for a minute without saying anything. “I can’t wait.”

  She coughed a little, blushing. “Okay. Well. Um, I think I’ll go in and say hi to your mom.”

  He smiled. “She’d like that.” As she turned away, he grabbed her hand. “Thanks, Lucy.”

  “You’re welcome, Tom.” Did he imagine it, or was there some reluctance in her pulling her hand from his?

  Lucy found it difficult to drag her eyes from his, much less her hand from his grasp. Stop it, Lucy. He’s emotional about the house, Jared, etc. Any other time, Jared would be right here by his side, hammering nails and carrying shingles.

  She sighed as she closed the front door behind her. There was a chill in the air, and the fact that dampness was everywhere didn’t help.

  “Lucy? Is that you?” Mary Ann came into the hallway with a smile. “I thought I heard your voice outside with Tom. I hate to even ask him what the verdict is on the roof.”

  “Well, if staring at it could get it fixed, it would be right as rain by now.” When Mary Ann chuckled, Lucy grimaced. “Sorry. Bad analogy.”

  “No, I’d say it was a pretty good one. Tom needs some encouragement. You may be the one to give it to him.”

  “I told him I’d help him with the roof. I’m sure he thinks I’m a poor substitute for Jared.”

  “If I know you, you’ll surprise him. I think you do, quite often.” Mary Ann squeezed her hand. “Now, would you like some coffee? I made my second pot. Seems like cleaning up hurricane mess calls for more fortitude than regular mess.”

  “That would be wonderful.”

  Lucy wondered what she meant by her surprising Tom. Her mind wandered as Mary Ann methodically and carefully pulled two mugs out of the cabinet and set them on the kitchen table, a large, sprawling affair in the middle of the room. It reminded her of the table on “The Waltons,” where everyone gathered to eat, work, talk, and play. The center of the room and the center of the house. How long since this table had been filled with children? Generations, she was sure.

  Her mind wandered back to Tom. Surprise? Him? Sure, there were some instances when he seemed a little off-kilter around her, but if so, why did he ignore her? Out-of-sight, out of mind? Ugh. Tom is unsurprisable. He’s pragmatic. He’s organized.

  Her mind snapped-to. She was pragmatic. She was organized. But, she didn’t take on the cares of the world like Tom.

  Mary Ann smiled as she sat down across the table from Lucy. “Tom wasn’t always so serious. Before
his daddy died, he helped out around here, but he didn’t have the responsibility and worry he seems to think he has to take on, now.”

  What could she say? “He’s a good son.”

  “The best. But he’s my son, not my husband, nor my father. Just because I can’t see doesn’t mean I’m less his mother.”

  “I’ll drink to that.” Lucy lifted the cup to her lips. “Do you think selling the house will make a difference?”

  “I hope so.” Mary Ann shrugged, her lips twisted in a slight grimace. “But I doubt it. He needs to think about himself and his future for a change.”

  “Maybe when things settle down.”

  “Thank you, dear, for looking for the bright side. That’s something we’ve been lacking since Hayden died. He wouldn’t rest until a body was smiling through her tears.”

  The familiar hurt in the region of her heart nudged the tears into her eyes. She was thankful Mary Ann couldn’t see them. “Your Hayden sounds like my dad. When Mom died, it was the first time I had ever seen him at a loss. I was young, and he had a demanding job. Before long I would only see glimpses of sadness. Most of the time he was my fun, encouraging Dad. I learned a lot from him.”

  “I’d say you did. How old were you when your mother passed?”

  “I was thirteen. We were living in Chicago at the time. When I was a freshman in high school, we moved to Summerville, and that’s when I met Sarah. She is the best friend I ever had, and her mom took me under her wing from day one.”

  “Sounds like Tom and Jared.” Mary Ann chuckled, and continued. “I’m glad Tom didn’t let a little thing like Jared taking him out in football practice come between their friendship.”

  “Wait. Jared took Tom out?”

  “Oh, yes. He was smaller than Tom but wiry and oh-so determined. That boy can do anything he sets his mind to and make you feel like it was your idea all along.”

  “I can believe that. I think he’s convinced Sarah she’s the smart, beautiful girl she always has been.” She paused to take a sip, hoping the lump in her throat would go away. “I hope he’s okay.”